The Ten Commandments

Monsignor Charles Pope

• Publisher: TAN Books
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781618906304
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Denominations

Learn how the Ten Commandments epitomize the way of Divine Love between God and His children. The Ten Commandments by Monsignor Charles Pope is a powerful, in-depth investigation into the Decalogue. Pope expertly and lovingly dives into the Ten Commandments, illuminating their eternal importance to the spiritual life while relating them to our modern day-to-day struggles. Monsignor Pope guides the reader through each commandment and shows how they are much more than simple dos and don'ts, but rather an outpouring of God's love for us and guide for us to better love him. Here Pope examines the inner meaning of each commandment, showing how they ultimately are not burdensome restrictions, but pathways to freedom, which allow us to more fully love God. The Ten Commandments offers both insight into the moral law of God and an opportunity for deep spiritual introspection. Also included are several examens to help you perform a prayerful examination of conscience.

BIBLICAL EXAMENS

The following three passages provide a biblical framework to exam our conscience:

Col 3:12ff: Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

1 Corinthians 13:4ff: Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Gal 5:16ff: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would. But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law. ¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

The following litanies seek to invite us to look a little deeper into our heart. As the litany proceeds we move from external behaviors, to interior dispositions and drives, as well as sins of omission.

LITANIES OF REPENTANCE

In reparation for sins against justice

In reparation for sins against modesty.

In reparation for sins against purity.

In reparation for sins against truth.

In reparation for all sins against the human person.

In reparation for sins against children and the young.

In reparation for sins against the innocent and trusting.

In reparation for sins against the frail and elderly.

In reparation for sins against the unborn and infants.

In reparation for sins against the weak and powerless.

In reparation for sins against immigrants and strangers.

In reparation for sins against the poor and disadvantaged.

In reparation for sins against the sanctity of marriage.

In reparation for sins against the sanctity of the family.

In reparation for sins against the sanctity of the priesthood.

In reparation for sins against the sanctity of consecrated life.

For our failure to give witness to Christ as we ought.

For our failure to submit our will to God.

For our failure to give good example to others.

For our failure to seek God above all things.

For our failure to act justly.

For our failure to show mercy.

For our failure to repent of our sins.

For our failure to obey the commandments of the gospel.

For our failure to curb our earthly desires.

For our failure to lead a holy life.

For our failure to speak the truth.

For our failure to stand up against injustice.

For our failure to live chastely.

For our failure to show compassion for the suffering.

For our failure to guide sinners to repentance.

For our failure to pray for others.

For our failure to assist those in need.

For our failure to console the grieving.

For our failure to forgive others.

For our failure to encourage those who are weak in faith.

For our failure to endure the trials of life patiently.

For our failure to visit the sick.

For our failure to love as we ought.

For our failure to practice our faith with zeal.

For our failure to work for the unity of peoples and nations.

For our failure to promote peace and reconciliation.

For our failure to seek forgiveness for our sins.

For our failure to be generous with our goods.

For sins committed out of fear.

For sins committed out of indifference.

For sins committed out of contempt.

For sins committed out of impurity.

For sins committed out of hatred.

For sins committed out of laziness.

For sins committed out of cowardice.

For sins committed out of anger.

For sins committed out of greed.

For sins committed out of jealousy.

For sins committed out of revenge.

For sins committed out of disobedience.

For sins committed out of hard-heartedness.

For sins committed out of pride.

For sins committed out of envy.

For sins committed out of stinginess.

For sins committed out of selfishness.

For sins committed out of pettiness.

For sins committed out of spite.

For sins committed out of self-indulgence.

For sins committed out of lust.

For sins committed out of careless neglect.

For sins committed out of prejudice.

Because I am obnoxious, forgive me Lord.

Because I am dishonest, forgive me Lord.

Because I am egotistical, forgive me Lord.

Because I am undisciplined, forgive me Lord.

Because I am weak, forgive me Lord.

Because I am impure, forgive me Lord.

Because I am arrogant, forgive me Lord.

Because I am self-centered, forgive me Lord.

Because I am pompous, forgive me Lord.

Because I am insincere, forgive me Lord.

Because I am unchaste, forgive me Lord.

Because I am grasping, forgive me Lord.

Because I am judgmental, forgive me Lord.

Because I am impatient, forgive me Lord.

Because I am shallow, forgive me Lord.

Because I am inconsistent, forgive me Lord.

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Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• The First Commandment
• The Second Commandment
• The Third Commandment
• The Fourth Commandment
• The Fifth Commandment
• The Sixth Commandment
• The Seventh Commandment
• The Eighth Commandment
• The Ninth and Tenth Commandments
• An Examination of Conscience Rooted in the Ten Commandments
• Biblical Examens